


Across Universes

by Reyns456



Series: Soulmates fics [1]
Category: Fantastic Four (Ultimateverse), Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Ultimates, Venom (Comics)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Gen, Introspection, Light Angst, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, characters like ultimate sue and 616 reed show up for just one scene each, discussion of romantic and platonic soulmates, implied Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote - Freeform, its maker centric and he is not good at feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26102689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reyns456/pseuds/Reyns456
Summary: Reed had a strange mark he was born with, one no one could explain, at least not until he crossed paths with people from a different universe that raised a possibility, one he wasn't willing to allow himself to believe possible.
Relationships: Maximus Boltagon & Reed Richards (Ultimaverse), Reed Richards (Ultimaverse) & Eddie Brock
Series: Soulmates fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1895194
Kudos: 5





	Across Universes

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting on my wips since around Christmans so i wrote it around the time Absolute Carnage was at the end so nothing that happens later is mentioned. 
> 
> Ok so this ended up being longer than originally intended. It's also presents worldbuilding and hints for another fics that will be part of this series when i get to finish them. It imply or says some of the ships that will be feacured on those.
> 
> Point out any mistake please, it was a long thing so there are some stuff I maybe didn't catch and english is not my first languague so I'm not the best when it comes to TAM.

Sue was laying on the bed, it was still early morning, she has just woken up and didn’t want to get up, so she contented herself with this staring at her boyfriend. He was sitting besides her, working on a device, didn’t seem like he had any sleep yet but she was happy he at least made the effort of going to bed. There was something endearing about seeing him concentrate on his work, but this time something else had her attention, from that angle she had a good look to something she has been curious for some time.

“Is there any story behind the tattoo?” Her words startled Reed, making him drop the device he had been working with and staring at her, confusion written on his features. “Your left shoulder?” She said pointing at it with a smile, “The blueish smear that takes more of it? It’s hard to miss when you aren’t wearing a shirt.”

“Ah that,” Reed said picking the device and turning it over, a way to avoid looking at her, after a moment of silence when she was sure he wasn’t going to respond he whispered, “It’s not a tattoo.”

“Oh?” was all she said before sitting up, "Well, I have to say it didn't seem like something you would do but was worth to ask.” She considered dropping the subject but her scientist curiosity got the better of her. “What it is then?”

“I don’t know,” he responded shrugging. “My mom said I was born with it? Hey, don’t give me that look! I’m not lying, you can ask her if you want, but that thing has been in my arm my whole life. I even have the pictures to probe it. I can ask my mom to send some.”

“A birthmark?” Was her next conjecture, now that her first hypothesis was shut down she couldn’t stop herself from thinking other possibilities.

“It was my first guess when I was little, but the color seems... off? I mean, I never seen one that color, in the light seems almost dark blue and there is something like shapes inside of it.”

“Mmm, some case of hyperpigmentation? I probably discard Addison’s disease seeing you don’t have other symptoms and it’s been there your whole life, which also discards the exposure to chemicals unless there is something your parents aren’t telling you? It could be a case of melasma but like you say the color it’s off for a regular skin condition and it’s too big, that patch takes most of your arm…” She said thinking while Reed when back to his device. “You don’t see much interested for this” He looked at her with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, like I say, I had it my whole life so it lost its interesting appeal a few years ago,” he said putting the device down and lying down on the bed. ”You, on the other hand, are free to ponder it over all you want, maybe you can figure it out, you are the expert in biology after all,” he said as he buried his face in the pillow.

“I will try my best then,” she picked her tablet to start making notes, “no offence Reed but it’s an interesting phenomenon. I haven’t seen something like that anywhere else.” She leaned over his ear whispering: “I will need to do some test, get some samples. It’s a good excuse to get you to go to those checkups you have been avoiding mister,” to which he smiled turning his head on her direction.

“Whatever you need Susan, knowing you, you will finally learn what it is.” She smiled at that kissing his cheek.

“I will do my best. Now get some sleep.” 

\-------------

“I’m surprised your Namor has a tattoo.” Maker said from his position on the table, sitting besides him Maximus looked up from the map -where he was trying to find Attilan- to the Atlantean that was doing his best at avoid being around anyone. “Mine seemed too prideful to even let anyone touch him long enough to get a needle on his skin.” Maximus quizzically stared at Maker and then looked at the Atlantean and keep looking back and forth between the two.

“...what tattoo?” he finally asked after he got dizzy from the action.

“The one on his chest?” Maker said matter of fact. He had learned in the short amount of time they had worked together that the other scientist was a little absent minded when something didn’t interested him, something Reed had to admit was also guilty of, but how hard is to miss a aquamarine and red tattoo of a flame in middle what seems to be an ocean in the guy chest? It can´t take you more than a few minutes to notice it and for what he knows they had been working together for months!

Maximus looked back at the Atlantean squinting like he was trying to see better, but still not finding what the other man was talking about, unless…?

“Oh… You mean his soulmark?” he said and even if couldn’t see the upper part of Maker face his confusion was still pretty obvious. This caused a smirk to appear on Maximus face while he leaned over with his chin on his hand, “I’m guessing you guys don’t have those here.” Maker response was crossing his arm staring at the Inhuman before huffing.

“No, we do not what them.” He admitted. Maximus smirk turned into a smile while murmuring ‘interesting’ just before going back to his map. Reed glared at him for more information but seeing the Inhuman had no interest on this subject and not wanting to go ask the Atlantean himself he rolled his eyes and finally asked:

  
“What are they?” Luckily just asking that got him Maximus attention back but the small surprise on the other man wasn’t something he expected. Was that a taboo on his universe? “What?”

“Nothing, you just don’t see the type interested in love stuff” Said him with a raised eyebrow.

“I didn’t even know it was about that, just tell me what you know.”

“If you said so,” he shrugged putting aside the map. “Soulmarks are what identify soulmates, and before you ask, a soulmate is someone who you are meant to meet and be together, they are individuals who are born with the same mark, which can be found in different part of their bodies. When the individual is born the mark is muted on colors, but the moment they meet their soulmate the mark it ‘lights up’ in vibrant colors, like Namor’s over there.” He finished saying pointing at the Atlantean who raised an eyebrow at that. Prompting Maximus to wave at the king while Reed mulled over the information that reminded him of something… but, no it couldn’t.

“Then, everyone in your universe has it?”

“For the most part, I think there just a few alien species like the Kree and the Skrull who don’t but they are pretty much the standard on earth.”

“Do you have one then?” He asked looking at the other scientist who only exposed skin was his face, he didn’t expect the man to dress like that to hide a mark, but it wasn’t unthinkable that some did. He knew the risks of their… profession, and that some didn’t want to put those they love at risk.

“Technically yes,” Maximus could feel the curiosity on the other man and smiled, “we Inhumans have our soulmark hidden from us. Years ago when the Kree came and experimented on our ancestors they saw our soulmarks as a sign of weakness, an inconvenient for their plans, so they tried to eliminate them. But even after years and years of experiments and lost subject they couldn’t, so they did the next best thing and found a way to hide it. After all if you don’t see the mark and have no concept of it you don’t care or look for your soulmate. Even then, soulmates still happen in Attilan, and when they are found the soulmark is finally visible, colorful as any other, but they are very rare, a very few per decade.”

“You seem to know a lot about this even if it’s now common with your people.” He pointed out but still happy he didn’t need to go ask around the others and Maximus was the easier one to talk with.

  
“Well, my brother and his wife are soulmates after all and I got curious of the marks when I first saw it on them. I was also a really sweet, sweet kid at the time so people had a hard time telling me no when I asked for information.” He said with an innocent smile, “interesting stuff, I have to say, not that I care enough for mine.”

“Not even a little?”

  
“Ha nah,” he said shrugging, “I know there has to be someone somewhere, and I can probably build something that could make it visible, but I don't care for it.”

“And if you ever find them?”

“Unlikely!” He laughed, picking back the map again, “but who knows what the future has in it for me, and no one truly knows how they would react to a soulmate. I had heard of those who tried to reject it for a reason or another.” Maker nodded and didn’t ask anymore letting Maximus to keep looking for Attlilan, ending the conversation.

Reed had a few thinks to over, the thing on the back of his head was bugging him about this information, but feel like he wouldn’t get his answers from the Inhuman. This other universe was pretty interesting.

Maybe he could go see it himself before everything explodes, he thought while rubbing his shoulder.

\-----------------

“You are like this about Susan because she is your soulmate?” Maker asked the older version of himself from his position on the floor fixing some wiring on the machine he was hoping to fix soon, he didn’t want to stay on this Doom ruled world more than necessary. 

His response was just silence so Maker just shrugged and keep working, the other man didn’t want to talk about it, that didn’t surprise him, seemed to be the usual response. After Maximus the others didn’t seem too keen on sharing information about soulmates with him. Especially the Atlantean, who actually tried to punch him for asking. Even if Maximus made it seem like it was common knowledge maybe it was also a private matter. Which made it hard to satisfice his curiosity after it was impossible to go visit the other universe himself.

“What do you mean?” That other universe Reed finally asked, looking away from the computer as if he was about the have a major headache.

“You are mad about Doom taking her, or I am wrong?” The older Reed pinched his nose, regretting starting this conversation, he wasn’t sure the other man was in any position of fully understanding the extension of his situation.

“I’m angry at Victor for making this warped world at his desires and for putting Sue in the position she is in, against her will, I’m in no way mad at him just because she is my soulmate.”

“So she _was_ your soulmate.” Maker asked sitting up, glad the other man was responding, maybe he could actually get more information about this out of him.

“Was?” The older Reed seem completely appalled at the idea of Sue not being his soulmate anymore, but Maker remember seeing some videos of her at the throne room, really content with who she though was her husband, and this was a world made by Doom so it seemed possible to consider he would change her soulmate, right?

“If Doom made her think they are married she has to have a different one,” he opened the helmet to look at the man in the eye, “or I’m wrong?”

“Not necessary,” Reed answered with a sigh, accepting this was the topic of conversation they will have to carry before getting some work done, “not everyone marries their soulmate, having one doesn’t mean you have to fall in love with them, even if it’s believe to be the more common occurrence. Sometimes your soulmates are just someone who makes an important impact on your life. ” He said looking into a distance, sadness on face. “Why are you so interested on this?”

“Just curious,” Maker said rubbing his shoulder, “my world doesn’t have soulmates so it’s an interesting subject,” he quickly added, “from a scientist perspective of course.” 

“If you said so.” The older Reed said with some doubt, but hoping the subject was over. Sadly for him his younger counterpart still have a question.

“Why do you ever have soulmates if you don’t end up with the person you share a mark with?” Reed closed his eyes thinking the best response that will end this train of thoughts, they couldn’t lose more time if they wanted to stop Victor.

“Life is not that simple Reed,” He finally said looking at the other in the eyes, “your soulmates can be born at a great distance, and not everyone is willing to go looking for them, or have the luck the being able to do it. Things happen, and you can’t control who you fall in love with, so sometimes your soulmate is a friend you are really close with, it doesn’t exactly mean you have to date them. Occasionally they are someone you have conflicts with and the stubbornness of both of you make it hard to be together. Sometimes is not even just one person, soulmates like any other relationships are complicated, how it works is not set in stone.”

Maker hummed in response to that mulling over the information he was given, making another motion towards his shoulder, this time stopping himself before and changing the direction to his face, something the older Reed noticed.

“So it’s just scientist curiosity?” he noticed the small flitch his counterpart did, as if he was caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to. Was he lying about his world not having soulmates? Seem like a weird lie to say just to make comparisons between their worlds and the younger man seem genuinely lost about how soulmate worked. Still Reed doesn’t discard the possibility of the other man being a good liar.

“Yes, nothing more Richards.” Maker responded closing the helmet with a strained smile. So Reed wasn’t wrong about this being something more than it seemed, but he was in a hurry so he dropped the subject when Maker said: “Let’s forget about this and just get back to work, shall we.”

\-----------------

It wouldn't be a lie to say he forgot about the whole soulmate thing after being drop in that the new universe. He had another new and shiny things to care about and while the thought cross his mind from time to time, mostly when he saw his so called ‘tattoo’, he couldn’t help but entertain the possibility, but he quickly discarded the idea, he wasn’t from this place. Why he would ever had one? Besides his all relationship ended in tragedy, why even considered the unlikely possibility of something that would end the same way as the rest.

And then _THAT_ happened.

Time passed and he started to feel restless on this new universe, a part of him telling him to go back home, that he could find a way to fix his universe on the way he wanted. And so he tried. Leaving him with an incomplete symbiote, but one he could worth with, he just needed the help of this earth symbiote. It wasn’t be hard to track down, he knew the identity of their hosts, he had infiltrated enough organizations to know most heroes.

Finding Flash Thompson would be easy.

He yet was again reminded that life wasn’t that easy, and that the universe probably has something against him, for something he did most likely.

He indeed found Venom, but it wasn't Flash Thompson the person with them, but their second host, the messy one, Edward Brook. Someone who was annoying hard to catch, it took him three weeks.

THREE WEEKS!

Even with various teams following Venom around, until they finally caught him. And even then he still couldn’t do anything with them because the symbiote was seemingly dead or at least not functioning as it should while Edward was in a coma.

Why stuff can’t go his way just once?

The worst came when he was preparing to do some exams to the symbiote reaction, if he could have one at least, and when he shocked them, they removed themselves from Edward’s body, it was just for a few seconds but it was enough time to see the it, _in his right arm_ , the same fucking mark he has in his shoulder, but different, _brighter_ or how Maximus called **_vibrant_**.

That make him stop.

Trying to think, to make sense to this.

He, he was working with a symbiote and that had to be some residuals still stinking to the skin, that by a trick of the light, yes the lights, it had looked brighter and the reason he saw that shape was just because he had been seeing that specific shape all his life, it was likely engraved in his mind now, and made him seen things on stuff where they weren’t. That is the reason why he saw what he saw, he just saw what his mind was used to see when seeing that color. But…

But he never saw it on that shade…

And the light don't turn a black mass of goo into a bluish shape with golden and silver…

…he needed to get out

**NOW**.

He didn’t remember much after that, the trip back to his quarters, a moment he was on the lab and the next he was on the place he had barely been to since starting this the whole Overside Project, starting at the mirror he has for some _reason_. And he can’t get himself to move from the mirror, but… but he also can’t look at it, just staring at the mirror avoiding _that place,_ knowing full well that he actually _wants_ to see and get the answers he has been looking for since he was a kid.

He thought he had outgrown this long ago, he had he was sure, but this world had to come and show him new possibilities that he had tried so hard to deny and, and now he felt like a kid again trying to understand why that thing was there, why he, why this, why _why why why **why WHY**_... why no one could give him a satisfactory answer.

And now he was too afraid to finally find the truth…

…so he decided to sleep it off, let himself rest. Maybe next day he will think this better.

\-------------------

A week passed with him avoiding thinking about the soulmark. He spend just a little time with Edward trying a few things to wake him up. He actually devoted most of his time to other projects in the other side of the building or watching his monitors to see how other events play out. Anything that could keep him occupied worked. Sadly they appeal started to diminish and he knew he can't keep avoiding this forever.

Which brought him back to his room, in front of the mirror and with resignation he slowly took off the top part of his outfit, looking at any place except his shoulder. Minutes pass and he keeps looking away, truly frightened first time in who knows how long, he needs to get this over, but it’s proving to be harder than anticipated.

…he thought he had buried his emotions, seems he was wrong about that. Maybe he can just forget about this, act like he never entertained the possibility and go back to work…

At the end he just gives up and takes a look, and as he feared that goddamn mark on his shoulder has changed, now a vibrant blue, gold and silver with some black around, connecting the other colors, bringing them together.

…like his desire to find Venom brought him to Edward.

**He felt like he is going to be sick**.

He stares at the mark for what it feels like an infinity, still not believing what is in front of his eyes. Finally he has the confirmation of what he had been wondering since that conversation with Maximus. It was mesmerizing, but terrifying, knowing there is someone who he was destined to meet, that someone is connected to him…

…someone else that could destroy what little is left of Reed Richards.

That last thought brings him out of his stupor. How many times he reached out to people and got burn? Hell, how many he had burned himself because they got close? How many he had left? How many had left him because they can’t deal with him? With his plans? With what he has done and will keep doing until he gets what he desires. He knows who he is, what he must do, but there is nothing that tells him Edward wouldn’t leave him like Ben or Sue.

_No one wants to deal with him._

Everyone has proven him that, and he knows he won’t change for the off chance of someone who he was ‘mean to meet’, and whatever that entitles, he has a purpose and he will follow it. Besides, his older counterpart had said not every soulmate is with their destined one, so that must be how things will play out for him.

Right?

He let out the air he had been holding for who know how long and tries to get some sense of control back before going back to the room where his guest are ‘sleeping’ and attempts another test to wake Edward up. It doesn’t work like the previous ones.

**Nothing** works, nothing gets him any progress. He is stuck here, with them.

With **_him_**.

All he can do now is just stare at the guy, and again the thought pops into his head, he can’t help but wondering _why_? 

He is not from this universe, he just needs venom to get back home, he has no interest whatsoever on the host, IS NOT EVEN THE ONE HE WANTED.

so _WHY_

Why he had to get Eddie as his soulmate? It doesn't make any logical sense, he is not from this universe why did he even have one? Did the universe just knew he would ended up here? But he is not planning to stay…

Right.

He is leaving, _soon_ , there is no reason for him to even contemplate about this, it doesn’t matter, soon he will be home and he could leave all of this behind. He should just be happy he finally solved the mystery of his mark and be done with it.

There is no reason to tell anyone about this.

\-----------------------

“You seems more… disperse that the last time we spoke.” Maximus smug expression could be seen through the monitor of the computer Maker was sitting in front of. In the past few months they had been meeting when needing something. They had established a solid working relationship.

“What makes you said that?” Reed asked half melting into his chair, helmet off, not even looking at the screen.

“I called you an hour ago so we can compare notes in this symbiote stuff _YOU_ need, and you had barely said a word.” Maximus huffed crossing his arms. He didn’t had time for this, he has experiments of his own to complete before his family notice he was missing.

“I’m hearing what you say.” Was all Maker responded, still not looking at the screen.

  
“That sounds brilliant, if wasn’t for the small detail of me being quiet for the last _fifteen_ minutes AND, I am more than sure that you didn’t heard a word of what I said.” Maker opened his mouth but was quickly interrupted, “I said ‘you look sexy as a bunny’ five minutes into the conversation and you didn’t say anything.” Maker quickly closed his mouth straightening himself up on the chair.

“There are some… things that had been occupying my mind the last couple of weeks.” That picked Maximus interest leaning closer to the screen.

“Ooo, sounds interesting, tell me more gumboy,” All that the Inhuman got was silence from the other man. Maker only sign of live being his slow blinking, so Maximus started to get impatient “Ok, I can see this is really eating you alive, you never let me get away with this nicknames.” And still, silence was his only answer. Minutes passed and the other scientist keeps quiet, which was starting to worry Maximus, just a little, they didn’t know each other for that long but he could tell something was off, and, even if Maximus wouldn't admit it, he was starting to consider Maker something close to a friend. “Reed?”

Hearing his name snapped him out of his thoughts, looking up to Maximus slightly worried expression. He still wasn’t sure how much he could trust the Inhuman, but right now, right now he really needed to talk to someone and he seemed like the safest bet.

“Can you get rid of a soulmark?” He blurted out, hoping that Maximus could and couldn't heard what he said.

“What? Why would...?” Both know what he was about to say but seeing how Reed had put his hand on his shoulder and was avoiding his gaze was answer enough, “Are you kidding? This is why you were interested in Namor mark?”

“Not really,” he mumbled his other hand on his face, “I was truly curious about your Namor having a tattoo and didn’t actually make a connection until halfway through the conversation. I discarded it almost at the same second and had been doing best to ignore the possibility ever since, but it was always there, on the back of my mind.”

“Why?” Was all Maximus could ask, there were more thing he could say but knew that was the one Reed needed.

“Same reason you have a hard time getting it, I’M NOT FROM HERE!” He screamed standing up, “I’m a tourist on this universe! How in the fucking hell can I have a soulmate! It doesn't make any sense!”

  
“Well with what I had investigated about this whole soulmate thing, it never makes sense.” Maximus said with what he was expecting was a reassuring smile, probably looked unkind seeing how Reed hit the computer. “Look, trying to understand it can drive you mad and who knows how the universe works, but the best guess I can give is that something, whatever, knew you would end up here, so it saw fitting to give you a soulmate.”

  
“Well I’m not staying so _THIS,_ ” he pointed at his shoulder, “was a complete waste of time.”

“Maybe.” Was all that Maximus could said, he really didn’t care much how things worked, for him they just did and he went along with them unless he wanted something. “Or maybe it’s a way to tell you something? Seeing your state it can be presume you already saw your soulmate, so did meeting them make you want to rethink your plans? On any level?” Reed stayed silent again, “Did they?”

“I… I…” He bites his lip thinking about Edward and the fact that he doesn't know they guy and that the last time they talked, and truthfully only time they actually interacted, him being in a coma doesn’t actually count, the other guy beat him for being an ass and stuffed him into a fridge, which would make his decision an easy one but, “I don’t know.” He said in a whisper falling back into the chair. 

Silence invaded them again, Maximus going through this new information while Reed was trying and failing to get his feelings sorted out, damming the whole universe for getting him in into situation, he doesn’t need this, he just want to go back to his universe and fix it, make it better, get what he wants not, not this, bizarre interest for a guy he is not even sure how he is supposed to feel about. His counterpart wasn’t lying when he said this was complicated.

And the other Reed must be an expert on complicated relationship seeming who one of his soulmates was.

“I’m not going to lie,” Maximus cut the silence doing his best on being reassuring to his maybe friend, which was probing to be a weird experience so far. “I never heard of someone who actually got rid of a soulmark,” that got the other man attention, “Yes, there have been some tries, but no one have succeeded. Things always go… rotten, for all the parties. Really ugly stuff. I wouldn’t recommend you tried.”

  
“So I’m stuck with this, this connection?” Reed groaned, this universe was a mistake, he should just let this world get blow up when he had the chance.

  
“Yes, but this is new for you so you are just overthinking it. Give it time and it will just become background sound for you, you will not even pay attention to the mark or the connection when you get used to it.” He really was hoping all this consoling was working. “Yes, for the most part soulmates are seen as important but you can live without them!”

“I had been told some don’t meet them and have regular lives, but what after the mark lights up?” Reed said starring at the other man.

“Even then. Not every soulmate can be together. Things happen.”

“But most _do_ , right?” He needed the answer even if he knew it was just going to spiral him more into this disarray.

“Yes...” And whit that Reed could feel like a sentence was being put in him. He can’t get rid of this, he has to live with it and he can just chose if he wants to try reaching out to Edward and see what happens or leave everything and go back home and have this doubt on the back of his head for the rest of his long life. “This soulmate stuff is really fucked up huh?” Maximus said with a tight smile.

“...just tell me what information you have on symbiotes.” Maker said sitting straight again, he had lost enough time with this, Maximus just nodded, not sure of where things would go from there.

\-------------------------

“Thanks for uh, helping with this Carnage stuff.” Eddie said awkwardly to Maker, the other man was working on the symbiote extraction machine to get it operational as soon as possible, this was his best chance to get some useful samples.

“Not need of that Edward, I am interested in the symbiotes after all, this is a great opportunity to seem some stuff” Maker said with a big grin, before going back to work. Eddie lingered at his side unsure of what to do while waiting for Peter to be ready. Then V give him an idea.

“And also for taking care of the kids while I and Peter go to look for Osborn?” He was trying to get Maker into a conversation, which the scientist seem uninterested as it wasn’t a giant machine he could think it over, but he needed to ask something and having a conversation would make it less awkward, or at least he hoped.

  
“Not the worst task I had to take care off.” He stopped his work to directly look at Eddie, pointing at the room were Dylan was, “just tell them to not interrupt my work, I need to get this over before you two come back.” Eddie smiled at that trying to seem as friendly as possible.

“Yeah, yeah we will tell them, don’t worry they are good kids” Maker just did a whatever gesture and went back to work. Eddie stayed there still staring at the guy, and was about to drop it, but V wasn’t having it so they went for it “Maker?”

“Yes?” He didn’t even look from where he was working, a blessing from Eddie point of view. He wasn’t sure he could keep a straight face even with V reassurance.

“Do they know what soulmates are in your universe?” It wasn’t easy to notice but Eddie and V saw the way the other man froze, before quickly going back to work as if nothing had happened.

“No.” Was the cold answer, and for Eddie it was obvious he didn’t want to talk about this. Maker next work tried to sound casual, “There is no concept of this soulmate stuff in my universe. Why? It is important?”

“Oh.” Was all Eddie could said, he wasn’t sure what to feel disappointed? Relieved? There was something on the other man answer but he didn’t want to ask, even if V keep insisting he should. Maybe Maker must have heard about it being here and must had hit a nerve for some reason. Yes, it must had been that. “Doesn’t really matter, just something I was wondering, seeing how that is common here and all, I thought your world would had an equivalent or some shit. Don’t worry about it, it’s nothing important.” Eddie said while leaving, V complains on his head all the way to the door.

Leaving Reed alone with his work.

“Yes, nothing important” He whispered to himself.

\---------------

Reed was doing some calculations, looking for the most reliable way to get some of the symbiote codex now that Edward managed to screw his plans, _again_ , even if it was not intentional this time around. His choices still got his machine broken and his son was the one who got him possessed and then set on fire thanks to the two brats he promised Edward to take care of.

For a soulmate Edward do ends up making his life harder.

He really needs to find a way to fix his symbiote and go back to his universe to finally have some peace. The codex from those other host are out of question, thank to Carnage, Venom went back into being his only way out, and it could work but how? After what happened there is no way he could get close to them to grab what he needs. 

Someone out there really hates him…

...or so he thought until his phone rang. And there were just two individuals who had that number.

“Yes?” He hastily answered it hoping it was the one he needed to talk to.

“Maker? You still breathing?” Came Edward tired voice from the other line.

“In a way of speaking, I am.” He could feel the other confusion through the line, he knew how that could come across for someone not aware of his particular biology, “thanks to my mutation I don’t need to breathe like a regular individual even if I do it sometimes. I don’t even breathe oxygen, just… something else.”

“Uh… good?” Was Edward awkward response before adding, “I mean, it means you are ok and stuff, right?” Maker rolled his eyes at that.

“Yes, I am as good as I can be.”

“Good, good. Heh, sorry for asking but some heroes say you run away after something happen and Dylan just told me that you were on fire and wanted to be sure you were ok.”

“That is it?” Did that man really called him just for that? He wasn’t expecting him to care after all he did scared Dylan and his friend, both intentionally and unintentionally. And he assumed Edward would had been mad after everything that happened.

“Yes?” Edward tentatively answered followed by some muffled curse and whispers, “I was just feeling kind of responsible for it after all I asked you to help and all that. I’m glad you are ok though.”

  
“Why?” Was all he could thing asking. This conversation wasn’t going on any way he could had expected.

“Why not?” Was Edward easy answer.

  
“Do I need to tell you?” Maybe Edward had a concussion and didn’t remember much of the last 24hs?

“I mean, yeah you were a prick the first time we saw each other, and I’m still mad for what you said about Flash and all that, but you did take care of me and V for all those weeks, and came to help when I asked and protected the kids from danger, even if things didn't go as planned.” He really couldn’t understand that man, how was he his soulmate?

“You are aware I did all that to help myself right?” As a response he got a scoff and a murmur of something that he was sure was directed to the symbiote.

“I am not naive Richards, and as much as you want to believe it. We are not dumb. We had been on this game long enough to notice stuff.”

“You... do?” Reed felt a little worried that the other knew they were soulmates, and would want to talk about it and he really didn’t need that now or ever.

“Look, I just wanted to be sure how you were and to know why you need the codices, you told me the machine would destroy them, but we know that wasn’t the actual intention. So tell us, why” Reed inhaled relieved, this was easier to answer.

“Oh Edward, you caught me!” He said with fake joy, “It’s some data for a project I had been working on, and do not worry I was not trying to weaponize them or to hurt them, just… I just need them to complete a sample that would allow me…” He cut himself, do he want to admit to the other man what he was working on?

“Allow you what?” The other man didn’t let anything escape on his tone. Maybe he had truly been subestimating him, a thought that made a tiny smile appear on his face.

“Go home.” He whispered, Reed didn't saw reason to hide it anymore from Eddie.

“Home?” Eddie did sound confused for a second, “As it your own universe? How can Venom help you with that?”

  
“Symbiotes have something in them that seem allows them safe interdimentional travel, I have been working on something for some time and this seems to be the best way back”

  
“So you just wanted the codex for that? Nothing else?”

“Nothing else.” He confirmed, actually trying to sound sincere for the first time in so long.

“Great.” Did… did Edward actually managed to surprise him for once?

“Excuse me?”

“My other, they said they will help you with some samples, as long as not harm will come to us.” Was Edward firm response, he was really willing to help him go back home, just like that? Was this so he wouldn’t keep interfering on his life? That… that sounded like the most likely reason.

“Don’t worry, now I know what I need and how to get it in a painless way, I promise not harm will come to any of you.”

“Tell us when, then.” He really couldn’t believe it was actually going to be this easy, after all this time Eddie was going to give it to him just like that? He decided to give it more thought later and take his chance. He told him a place to meet and when.

After the information was given, Edward told him quick good bay and told him he would be there and not try anything before that day and ceased communication. Reed still couldn’t believe this was it, he was going to get his final piece, he could fix the symbiote in his possession, he can finally go home…

...so _why_ he doesn’t feel as relieved as he should.

\----------------

“So this small sample is all you need?” Edward asked while looking at the test tube, it wasn’t even half full.

“Yes, the one I had was incomplete and while I tried to take when you and your symbiote were unwell that sample was also affected. Now that they are better, this amount will be more than adequate.” He said taking the test tube from Edward hand and folding it into his arm, the other man didn’t even react.

“You know,” The taller man said crossing his arms “you could have just asked, before acting all weird with us.”

“I was being myself?” His words made Edward stare unimpressed at him. 

“You know what I mean.” He said rolling his eyes, to which Maker just grinned.

“And is not like you two were in any condition to help, it was better let you deal with your issues and then look for you later. I will admit the Carnage situation was a surprise, and an annoying set back.”

“Tell me about it, I feel like we will never get rid of them.” Eddie then started making faces to himself, it was interesting to see him be in conversation with his other. “So you needed specifically us or any symbiote would had work?”

  
“I needed codices and what debacle showed a lot of individuals ended up having it.” He said shrugging. “But you two do have the strongest bond I had seen, even compared to the one I saw on my world. Its likes you were made for each other.” That comment actually made Eddie smile.

“We had been through a lot together, good and bad, and even after misunderstandings we always find each other.”

“Like soulmates?” For Maker it sounded somewhat similar to what he had been told about how they worked.

“Yeah, yeah soulmates are like that. You told me there weren’t on your world right?” Reed nodded, “Well in a few words, they are individuals who are destined to meet and are connect on a deep level, most are romantic but some are just friendship, it really depends of the persons that are involved. So yeah, what I have with V is like that.” That last bit caught the scientist off guard.

“Just like? So they aren’t?”

“Symbiotes don’t have soulmates, not like others at least. V said that what we have is special for them, and I feel it too, it’s nice, this feeling is nice” Eddie said with a calm smile, his hand in his heath were the symbiote moved to take it.

To this display Reed wasn’t sure what he was feeling at the moment, it wasn’t like what he had been feeling the last few months but it was foreign one. He really needed to get better at controlling his emotions this new universe had really put him out of balance. 

  
“I guess you are more than happy with this?” He asked feeling like he needed some conformation his soulmate would be fine after he had gone, while also chastising himself for starting to actually consider Eddie his soulmate. He doesn’t need this now.

“Mmmm, I am, this relationship is more fulfilling than anything I had before.” The scientist nodded at that and before he could excuse himself Eddie talked again “Even then, I still wonder who my soulmate is, you know?” Reed looked at him curious, “Maybe is egoist to want both? But I feel like it would be more than worthy, whenever I finally meet them, as hard as it could be, if they want, we can make it work.” He said smiling.

“I guess so.” Reed said to himself looking at where the sample was. 

\--------------

“Still want to go home?” Maximus asked, this time in person as he was helping Maker with the experiments and fixing of the portal to his dimension. The other scientist frowned at him from the other side of the machine.

“What make you ask that, _now_? We have been working for hours. This may be done in just a couple of days”

“Curiosity?” He said with an innocent smile. Maker rolled his eyes and went back to work.

“Yes, I’m still planning if not I wouldn't be doing this”

“So this is your decision, huh?” Maker signed he really wouldn’t get any work done until this interrogation ended. Why the Inhuman felt the need to bring this up, he really didn’t need more reasons to think this over.

“They will be fine, you did say people can have good life outside of their soulmate, and I know they do.” Maximus raised an eyebrow at that but decided to not comment on it. “And besides, I don’t get this stuff, it’s too emotional for me, it’s better for them this way.”

“Sounds like you did a good job convincing yourself of that.” Maximus said smiling, Reed looked at him angry, “I'm just saying what I see,” he said raising his hands in defense. “Look as long as you don’t regret it do whatever you want, I’m not here to tell you how to live, I was just curious.”

“Just keep working and if you are lucky I will not kick you out.” Maker said going back to his work, he needed to finish the portal soon, go back home and forget he was ever on this universe.

“Awww just kick me out? You are getting soft gummy bear.”

“I hate you so much Maximus.”

“The feeling is mutual Reed.”

\-------------------

The machine was ready, the sample was tested and mixed with the symbiote, the artificial creature was working like it should, it responded to his commands and didn’t feel off to use like when he temporary had Hybrid. He have everything ready, he could go back home, fix his world and make it like it always should had been. He would have everything he wanted, just activate the machine, use the symbiote and start the reconstruction.

Easy.

There was no one who would stop him that knew his plan, Maximus didn’t care ‘as long as he wrote’ and Edward seemed content with letting him get away, he was finally getting what he always wanted.

Something he always wanted… 

...finally close to him, and he was a fool if he was going to let it pass.

\----------------------

Eddie was preparing dinner for when Dylan comes back from school when he heard the doorbell. That was weird, he was expecting any visits and the ones who usually came didn’t use the doorbell or the door.

When he got to the door he got a big surprise seeing on the other side someone he wasn't actually expecting to see again after their last conversation. And he was even dressed in actual clothes. Did he walk all the way over here? What other reason he was looking like that instead of just showing up inside his house? He was sure he could easily do it.

“Richards?” He said opening the door, the other guy seemed a little nervous based on the way he was chewing his lip. The scientist really looked weird? Normal? In casual clothes, the glasses were a nice touch. It was to hide his scar? Not that they helped much. And after taking a big breathe, -didn’t he said he didn’t need to breath?- Reed looked at him in the eye and said:

“We need to talk.”

Eddie let him in and Reed didn’t even let him enough time to close to door that he was moving one of his sleeves to show him his shoulder the scientist seemed like trying to get things over with and Venom could see why.

_I knew it_ , was the first thing V said after seeing the soulmark.

“You told me your universe didn’t have soulmates.” Was all Eddie said could said, V was the one who first got the suspicion and keep bugging him into asking Maker and after some thought he was inclined to believe it too, it made sense, he was the first person they saw when the soulmark got colored.

That is why he had asked during the Carnage incident and the other man had seemed truly lost when it comes to soulmate stuff, he did almost buy it, and even now V was chastising him for almost believing it, they knew how the Maker was, he was half trues and mind games. Still the way the man reacted wasn’t something he could ignore but at the time Eddie really didn’t want to entertain the idea, they had other things to do and Dylan safety was on the line, it was easier to accept the man words.

It was their last conversation what truly confirmed their suspicions when Maker was the one who mentioned soulmates, but he chose to say nothing, the man seemed more interested in returning to his own universe and he wasn’t going to get into a pointless conversation that only was going to leave him with a probable fight alongside the knowledge he wasn’t going to see his soulmate again. Better left their last chat on a good term.

Seems like Maker didn’t feel that way.

After some uncomfortable silence Reed sighed and looked down letting his sleeve go back into place.

“It doesn’t,” Eddie raised an eyebrow, and Reed rolled his eyes “I am an exception, no one on my world knew what this mark on my arm was. For some reason I can’t understand something decided about this.” He said gesturing between the two of them. “It wasn’t the easier thing to come to terms with.”

“How long you knew?” Eddie needed to know that first, before they discussed anything else, Reed had the decency to actually look uncomfortable.

“Since the first time we saw each other," he said crossing his arms. “I had been told what a soulmate was by a... by someone a few months before so I recognized it when I saw it on your arm.”

"And you didn't tell us?" He could feel the indignation coming from V, the other man has been hiding this from them for months already, and he was planning to leave without telling, so why he was here now?

"Look, I just I wanted to go home,” Reed said averting his gaze, “and I, I wasn't expecting this. I didn’t want to have anything to do with this world, I was just here for a mistake and I wanted to rectify it after my stay stopped being interesting. I needed you two for the plan and I got it moving and then…” He gesturing towards Eddie mark.

“So you decided to hide you were our soulmate?” Eddie said crossing his arms. “Even knowing what it meant?”

“I, at first needed to come with terms with that, and it wasn’t easy.” Reed started to move around the room “I had been wondering about this mark on my shoulder for years and no one could give me a concrete answer, and some tried, Susan did test for months on this thing and nothing, and when I finally get my answer, you could say I, well I freak out?”

“You? Freaking out?” Eddie said amused, and had to stop V from coming out and laugh on the other man face. They can do that another time.

“I know if hard to believe,” Reed said rolling his eyes “you could ask Maximus and he will tell you, probably show you, knowing him it’s probably recorded.” He murmured that last part, V still could heard him perfectly and instantly told Eddie to find the tape.

“Maybe we will.” Eddie remarked with a smile.

“Nevertheless, I chose to go home and to not entertain the idea anymore, I didn’t told you because I knew it was going to influence my decision and, and you seemed content how you were, with your connection with the symbiote.”

“It would still had been nice to know,” the taller man said uncrossing his arms, graving Reed by the arm to finally stop him. “Did you ever considered that I would had been the rest of my life wondering who my soulmate was?”

“No, no I didn’t.” He finally said looking at Eddie in the eye.

“Just thinking about yourself then, great soulmate I got myself then.” Eddie commented rolling his eyes, letting the other man go, who just shrugged.

“That is how I am,” he smirked, “it’s been so long since the last time I ever thought of considering someone else as something more than a colleague or an underling. So considering how others feel it’s a foreign thing for me. Not easy to relearn and irritating to experiment.”

“So, what make you change your mind about telling us?”

“I’m not sure myself, my best guess it’s that I wanted to actually try to see where this was going?” He crossed his arms again, letting a hand rest on top of the mark, “It took me sometime to reach a decision."

“No kidding, you are probably hours away from leaving.” Reed shrugged, unsure of what to say, he was really out of his element and already regretting this. Eddie sighed, asking the last thing they needed to know “Did you just come to tell us before that?”

“No?” Eddie raised an eyebrow, the other man uncrossed his arms rubbing his hard through his hair, he really seems unable to keep still more than once second. “I just, I want to give it a try, if you are willing that is, I will understand if you are not. I am a handful to deal with, as you have seem on this short months, and what you seen is what you got.” Eddie hummed at that, he could heard V on the back of his head, _Is up to you Eddie, we will support any decision you take._

Eddie turned away from the Reed giving himself a moment to think this, he appreciated V leaving him to choice, but still wanted some of his input, after all that man wasn’t going to be just his soulmate, it was going to be V’s too. For whatever the relationship was going to end up being like. They didn’t even get along that well but they didn’t had time yet to establish what type of soulmates they were.

He had hidden information from them and he was a legit pain in the ass, he had also proven to be reliable if something he wanted or cared for was in the mix, he is in the ruthless side but there wasn’t much he could judge on that aspect. There were things they will had to chat about, he wasn’t the best person himself but he didn’t want to think he was letting a mistake happen. This day had also show him a different aspect of the other man he hasn’t seen yet, there is more about Reed than he knew. Was it worth it to try to see if there was more? How this could develop?

_We know there was no reason to accept this, but it happened for a reason, and if he tries something anything, we will eat him for you Eddie._ He smiled at the reassurance of his other half, yes, whatever it happens, they would deal with it when they get there.

"You are lucky here we are good at giving second chances Reed,” He said placing his right hand on his left shoulder, the other man looked at him with no small surprise, looks like he wasn’t expecting this, which made Eddie laugh. “Help me with the dinner so we can start talking about how this will be."

“If you want, but I have to warn you, I’m not good with anything food related.”

“We can work it out.”

**Author's Note:**

> Eddie: any particular reason for the glasses???  
> Reed: I need them to see  
> Eddie: :0
> 
> That was pretty much what i thought when writting the bit with Reed in regular clothes, also i wasn't picturing anything orverly formal because Reed didn't actually dress like that, he was causal for the most part and I like to think he still does. I guess Maker ended up sounding more emotional? Than he is but I have my reasons related to the whole he may be a bastard but he is still the same Ultimate Reed.
> 
> How will their relationship will end up being, who knows? Maybe I do a follow up someday


End file.
